In today's society, we are bombarded with the tragedies of greed. Enron collapsed due to a few executives who wanted to line their pockets. After Enron, scores of other companies followed suit. In seeing all these disasters caused by greed, the world forgets the good greed can to. .
Capitalism, the system that our economy relies on, is based on greed. Individual people try to gain as much money as possible, and in turn spend some of that money. For the rich to spend their money, service industries are needed, creating more jobs. Often the most effective way to become rich is to start an independent business. For a business to get big enough to bring a sizeable income, one person cannot be the only employee. To become rich in this fashion, the need arises to employ others. To satisfy one person's greed, many others end up being helped along the way.
Greed is the drive for companies to develop the new technologies we enjoy today. Everything from the ridiculously fast computers to the super strong eight-hour lasting pain relievers in your medicine cabinet was developed to satisfy greed. Greed of this sort is a very good thing as related in Oliver Stone's movie Wall Street, Gordon Gekko explains that "greed in all its forms, greed for life, money, love, knowledge, has marked the upward surge of mankind" (Seligman 183). What would be the point of computer companies constantly developing faster and better computer systems if not to ultimately make more money? But by making these better computers, small businesses are better able to increase productivity. The best ways to help your own situation, making better products in this case, always ends up helping others.
Michael Milken is a prime example of greed proving a beneficial force. In the 1980's, Milken used "junk bonds" to become filthy rich. "Chrysler and Mattel were among many companies rescued from bankruptcy by Milken's junk bonds" (Stossel 36).
